15th 'Coastal Living' Ultimate Beach House Tours June 29 - Oct 7, 2012

[Gwen Break]

Coastal Living Ultimate Beach House Tours

Location: 194 West Kingston Road, Panama City Beach, Florida, 32413.
Dates: Open for public touring from June 29, 2012 to October 7, 2012.
Time: Wednesday-Saturday, 11am-5pm; Sunday 1pm-5pm.
Admission: $15 per person. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Rosemary Beach Foundation.


Coastal Living magazine, Rosemary Beach Land Company and Visit South Walton announced the starting date for tours of the 15^th Anniversary Ultimate Beach House. The house will open for visitors June 29, 2012.

Expected to draw as many as 10,000 visitors from across the country, the home will be open to the public for tours from June 29 – October 7, 2012. Tickets are $15 per person, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Rosemary Beach Foundation, which promotes and supports cultural, educational, environmental, literary and other charitable activities in Rosemary Beach and throughout Walton County. Tickets are available for purchase at the Ultimate Beach House.

The home’s design reflects the style of Rosemary Beach, a fusion of the timeless architecture found in the West Indies, New Orleans and Charleston. With 7,000 total square feet (5,200 heated and cooled), the home provides ample space for entertaining both indoors and out. A covered chef’s grilling porch adjoins the private courtyard and the community’s largest private pool at 15 by 50 feet. Five bedrooms and a bunk room allow the home to comfortably sleep 16.

The house was designed by Lew Oliver of Whole Town Solutions, who says its design marks “a return to elegance,” citing elements like the Venetian plaster oval foyer, designed to be “like being inside of a pearl egg.” Interior designer is South Walton resident Erika Powell of Urban Grace Interiors. The builder is Stan Benecki of Benecki Homes, with Vern Vanderkleed and Thomas Gallion acting as project manager and site superintendent, respectively. Landscape architect is Alec Michaelides of Land Plus.

The home was on the market at the beginning of construction and has been sold through Rosemary Beach Realty. Broker Linda Miller describes the home as “stunning,” adding “Coastal Living has set a new standard with their 15^th anniversary home. From its overall design to the smallest detail, this home will appeal to the most discriminating buyer. Paradise awaits!”

Sponsors of the 15^th Anniversary Ultimate Beach House include: Barlow Tyrie Teak Furniture, Belgard Hardscapes, Bevolo Outdoor Lighting, Circa Lighting, Kohler, Kohler Generators, Lee Industries, Lloyd Flanders Outdoor Wicker Furniture, Le Creuset Cookware, Marvin Windows & Doors, Pratt & Lambert Paints, Sun Parasol, Sunbrella Fabrics and Visit South Walton.

The 15^th Anniversary Ultimate Beach House will be featured in the October 2012 issue of Coastal Living magazine, which serves 3.9 million readers each month who harbor a passion for life on the water. To read more about the Ultimate Beach House, visit: www.CoastalLiving.com/homes/idea-houses.

The 2012 Coastal Living Ultimate Beach House Team:

Residential Designer: Lew Oliver, Whole Town Solutions
An Atlanta-based urbanist, town planner, and home designer, Lew’s work has won numerous national and international awards. As a key design consultant to the international town planning firm, Duany Plater-Zyberk, Oliver has advanced New Urbanism for a decade, designing for projects around the world.

Interior Decorator: Erika Powell, Urban Grace Interiors
After graduating cum laude from Auburn University with a degree in Interior Design, Erika completed her formal training in New York working for designer Victoria Hagan and Scalamandré, a world-renowned textile company. Erika started Urban Grace Interiors in 2005, and in 2011 was named one of twenty "New Traditional" designers to watch by Traditional Home magazine. She was recently named one of the “New Tastemakers” of the South by Southern Living. She lives in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, with her daughter, husband and two rescued "terrihuahuas."

Developer/Builder: Stan Benecki, Benecki Homes
Stan has over 25 years of experience in luxury real estate development. He holds an undergraduate degree in Real Estate Finance from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, and a master’s degree in Real Estate Development from Columbia University’s School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.

Project Manager: Vern Vanderkleed, Benecki Homes
Vern has over 20 years of experience in custom luxury residential building. He oversaw construction of many award-winning luxury homes in the Chicago area prior to working in the Southeast. Vern holds a degree with honors in building construction management from Purdue University.

Site Superintendent: Thomas Gallion, Benecki Homes
Originally from Montgomery, Alabama, Thomas Gallion relocated to South Walton two years ago. He has worked in residential construction and sold real estate for the past 10 years. Thomas currently oversees day-to-day construction for Benecki Homes for the 2012 Ultimate Beach House.

Landscape Architect: Alec Michaelides, Land Plus
Alec Michaelides is the principal of Land Plus Associates in charge of design. Throughout his 30-year career, his firm has focused on design and management of some of the finest private residences and estates throughout the Southeast and Midwest. Recent commissions include estates in Long Island, New York, Ponte Vedra, Florida and Indianapolis, Indiana.